Qualifier Dino Prižmić knocked out fourth seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6 in the ATP Madrid Masters Round of 64 on red clay at Arantxa Sanchez Stadium. It took just over three hours and two tense tiebreaks for the 18-year-old to move into the Round of 32. The image sums it up well: a clay-stained finish after a grind of a match.

First set: one break decides it

Prižmić claimed the opener 6-4 with the only break of the match. His first-serve points won rate hit 94% in the set, which blunted Shelton’s return. The American landed 61% of first serves, but Prižmić won nine receiver points to three and made that pressure count.

Shelton’s response in set two

Shelton steadied behind the serve, firing four aces in the set and saving all three break points he faced. Both players held through to a tiebreak, where the No.4 seed raised his level to take it 7-4. At that point, service points told the story: 34 for Shelton to 28 for Prižmić in the set.

Decider on a knife-edge

The third set stayed on serve again, with Shelton upping his first-serve percentage to 73% and facing two break points, both saved. Prižmić was a touch sharper on the biggest points, edging the service-points tally 29–28 in the set and sealing the match in the tiebreak. Small margins, big result.

Numbers that tell the match

– Total points were almost even: Shelton 93, Prižmić 92.
– Aces favored Shelton 10–5, but Prižmić won more receiver points overall 36–32.
– Break points underline the pattern: Prižmić converted 1, Shelton 0. That lone break from the first set separated them across 31 games.
– Across the match, Shelton landed 67% first serves and won 76% behind them, while Prižmić won 80% on first serve and 58% on second.

For fans tracking the draw, live scores, win probability and post-match Sofascore Rating, the Madrid Open page on Sofascore has you covered, including point-by-point data and player form trends.

Shelton exits early despite strong serving numbers. Prižmić, in as a qualifier, keeps rolling on clay with a signature win to start his Madrid campaign.